Overview

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has formally requested IRS support to investigate financial crimes linked to human trafficking and businesses employing undocumented migrants.
• The request aligns with President Trump’s executive order to enhance border security and enforce immigration laws, including the apprehension and removal of unauthorized immigrants.
• The IRS Criminal Investigation division, comprising about 2,100 special agents, specializes in financial crimes but lacks training for broader immigration enforcement tasks.
• Critics argue that diverting IRS resources to immigration enforcement could weaken tax compliance efforts, potentially reducing tax revenues and increasing the federal budget deficit.
• The IRS has not yet commented on the request, and it remains unclear how the agency will respond to this unprecedented collaboration proposal.